Create a Bike Route in Google Maps

There are many features in Google Maps. If you want to see all those features, you can check out the article How to Plan a Route with Google Maps. If you want to focus on creating your first bike route using basic features, continue with this article.

This wikiHow uses the web version of Google Maps. Once you’ve learned how to make a bike route on the web version of Google Maps, it’ll be easier to make a bike route on the phone app. You can either follow the instructions with the locations below or type in your own.

Steps

Setting up Google Maps for Bike Routes

  1. Open the webpage for Google Maps at http://google.com/maps.
  2. Search for your first location, where you want to start your bike ride. This example uses 1887 Grand Ave, St. Paul, MN
  3. Click the Directions button, on the webpage that appears.
    • A list of locations will appear on the left. The address you just typed in needs to be at the top of the list. If it is not, click the up/down button to move your first address to the top.
  4. Click the icon for a bicycle on the row of icons on top. This will show the most bike-friendly route.

Adding Your Second and Third Location

  1. Click in the line under your starting address. It might say “Your Location.”
  2. Type in the second location you would like to see. This example uses Crosby Farm Park.
  3. Click the icon to add a destination.
  4. Type in the location for the third location you want to see on your route, in the box that appears. This example uses Grand Ole Creamery.

Routing Back to your Start

  1. Click the icon to add a destination. Now, we need the bike route to return to your starting point. To do this, you need to add one more location.
  2. Type in the address for your starting point, in the box that appears.
  3. The bike route is now complete.

Saving and Sharing a Bike Route

Google Maps doesn't have an option called "save route," but there is an option that's very similar. You can copy the link to a bike route. That allows you to view the route later, make changes, or other tasks that are very similar to saving a route.

  1. Click the three bars in the upper-left.
  2. Click "Get Link" from the menu that appears.
  3. Click "Copy Link" from the box that appears.
  4. Save the link in a place where you can easily return to it later, such as MS OneNote, EverNote, or Google Keep. You could also paste the link into a web browser and bookmark the page.
  5. Click Send directions to your phone.
    • Answer the questions or prompts that appear about signing in and how you would like the map sent to your phone.
  6. Congratulations! You've made your first bike route in Google Maps. There are many other features available in Google Maps. To learn about these features, check out the lesson How to Plan a Route with Google Maps.

Tips

  • This lesson adds locations by typing an address or name. You can also add a location by clicking anywhere on a map.
  • On any bike ride, it helps to know where hills are. To see the hills in Google Maps, click the down arrow.
  • After clicking the down arrow, mentioned above, a "hill profile" will appear. If you pass your mouse pointer over the hill profile, a dot will move along the map showing where hills are located.

Related Articles

You may like